Lok Sabha poll dates announced: How IPL was scheduled in earlier general election years

The schedule for the Lok Sabha Elections of 2024 was announced on Saturday with polling to take place from April 19 to June 1. With the IPL taking place around the same window, questions over the venue of the tournament looms large.

However, BCCI secretary Jay Shah and IPL chairman Arun Dhumal have both assured that the tournament will take place in the country in its entirety.

The tournament has clashed with the General Elections of the largest democracy in the world thrice before. Here is how the BCCI has handled the situation in all those years.

2009

Just in its second season, IPL had to look for a new home as it coincided with the General Elections. BCCI was told by the Centre that it would not be able to make security arrangements as the forces would be busy with the polls.

BCCI looked for alternatives and England and South Africa emerged as frontrunners to host the tournament. After much deliberation, it was decided that England's weather could play spoilsport and therefore South Africa was chosen as the host for the second season of the IPL.

The second edition followed the success of the first season and Adam Gilchrist-led Deccan Chargers defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore to clinch the title.

This edition remains the only time the tournament was staged outside India or the UAE.

2014

General Elections of 2014 again posed a challenge to the scheduling of IPL. The government once again denied security for the tournament which forced BCCI to look for an alternative. South Africa remained a leading option like last time but the board had UAE and Bangladesh in mind too.

Ultimately, the UAE was selected as the host and IPL was to start on April 16. However, since the last of the seven phases of polling took place on May 12, IPL could come back to India. After 20 matches in the UAE, the tournament returned home from May 2 onwards.

Kings XI Punjab, in their only final appearance till date, were defeated by Kolkata Knight Riders by three wickets as the Gautam Gambhir-led franchise lifted its second trophy in three years.

2019

The 2019 edition of the IPL is the only time since its inception that the tournament took place entirely in India in a Lok Sabha election year. BCCI had South Africa and UAE as alternatives in case the tournament had to move out but it did not come to that.

Rohit Sharma's Mumbai Indians came out on top in a nail-biting final against M S Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings and won their record fourth title that time.